


Ever to Fall

by DoctorTrekLock



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Fluff, Gen, Old Cat Lady, cats in trees, falling
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-21
Updated: 2016-06-21
Packaged: 2018-07-16 11:59:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,022
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7267258
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DoctorTrekLock/pseuds/DoctorTrekLock
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In which there is a cat in a tree and a falling angel.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Ever to Fall

_It's 'cause you always come when I call_  
_It's 'cause I catch you if you're ever to fall_  
Elizabeth Smart, “How to Speak Winchester”

The small town they had found themselves in was nearly deserted. The Impala cruised down empty streets, only meeting a few cars. That's why the small conglomeration of vehicles surrounding the wizened oak tree was surprising. Dean slowed the Impala as they passed and glanced over. The crowd around the tree seemed to consist only of old ladies and their equally aged husbands, a few pointing at something up in the branches.

“What is it?” Cas asked from the passenger seat.

Dean glanced at him. “Eh. Probably just a cat stuck in a tree or something.”

The small lines between his eyebrows deepened as they furrowed and the quizzical look on his face made the corners of Dean's mouth twitch. “I thought cats could climb. Why would they have difficulty getting out of a tree?”

He shrugged as the Impala rolled to a stop at the next corner. “They get up there and realize how high up they are. They're afraid of falling, I guess.”

Cas's expression shifted slightly from confused to pensive. “I understand.” Before Dean could stop him, he was unbuckled and out of the car, walking briskly back towards the tree. Dean swore and checked traffic before deciding it was a small enough town that Baby wouldn't cause major problems where she was. He shut her off and was following Cas within thirty seconds.

By the time he caught up to him, the angel was standing at the base of the tree and stripping off his trenchcoat, dumping it unceremoniously in a heap. “Cas,” Dean hissed. “What the hell do you think you're doing?”

“I am rescuing the feline.” Cas pointed upwards as he struggled out of his suit coat and sure enough there was a small ginger tabby clutching a branch ten feet above their heads.

“Can't you just...you know?” Dean attempted to convey the act of flying without outright flapping his arms.

“No. These people are not prepared for the presence of an angel.” Cas dropped the jacket and turned away from him, reaching for the nearest branch.

Before Dean could say anything else or attempt to convince Cas to let him do it, the other man was already up in the branches. Dean could only watch helplessly as a millenia-old angel of the Lord attempted to climb a tree using the body of an ad salesman. If only Sammy hadn't insisted on spending the day at the library. He could have probably reached the cat from the ground, the Sasquatch.

He started when he felt a hand on his arm. It was a short, grey-haired lady with a grateful expression. “I am so thankful that you and your young man were here to rescue my poor Mittens.”

“What? Oh, we're not...no. Cas and I are just friends,” Dean protested. The old lady didn't quite look convinced, but just nodded sagely.

“Oh, I remember my Bernard and I were just like that when we were young...” Dean tuned out the rest of her story, returning his attention to Cas, who had just reached a branch directly below the cat. He held his breath as Cas began to shimmy his way down the limb towards the cat, which was still clinging to the branch and appeared to be mewing plantively at him. Cas advanced sideways slowly and methodically. He reached up to grab the cat and paused, speaking to it. A few moments later, he gently picked it up and held it close to his chest with one hand, grasping the branch with the other.

It was only when the branches started swimming together that Dean realized he had yet to resume breathing. He shook his head and took a few deep breaths. When he looked up again, Cas was standing on a branch just above his head and was making his way into a crouch, the hand clutching the cat reaching down towards Dean. He took a step forward and stretched his own arms up, taking the ginger bundle from him. As soon as the cat was safely transferred, Cas's whole body relaxed, mission completed. It didn't seem to realize that he was still in the tree.

An instant later the newly-saved cat was unceremoniously tossed towards its owner as Dean hurriedly sidestepped to catch the falling angel.

“Oomph,” Dean grunted. He nearly lost his balance with the added weight, but inched his foot backwards and was able to remain vertical. “Careful there, Cas.”

The angel in his arms looked up at him. “That was...unexpected,” he breathed, blue eyes wide in shock.

Dean grinned and shifted to set him back on his feet. “Just watch it next time you decide to climb a tree.”

“Yes, yes.” The other man mumbled, then seemed to register where he was. “You - you caught me.” He looked at Dean questioningly.

“Of course I did, Cas. I'll always catch you.”

Cas looked suddenly serious and his eyes bored into the hunter's. “Thank you, Dean.”

After a beat, Dean looked away and rubbed a hand on the back of his neck, clearing his throat. “No problem, Cas.”

The elderly people around them seemed to have dispersed, now that the entertainment was over. The cat's owner stood a short distance off, cuddling the tabby to her chest and whispering in its ear. The sight looked familiar. “Hey, Cas, what did you tell the cat?” Dean asked curiously, turning back to his friend.

“That she had no reason to fear me and that no harm would come to her.”

Another easy smile spread across Dean's face. “Seriously, Cas, don't ever change. Now c'mon. I can't leave Baby at that stop sign all day.”

As the pair began their walk back to the car, Cas sorrowfully reflected that he wouldn't be able to honor Dean's wishes. Though the hunter didn't know it yet, the angel had already begun his inevitable fall from heaven. He glanced at the other man. Perhaps Dean would be there to catch him then, too.


End file.
